Photo: Swatch Nines
Waco Surf’s pool has become a main character in the Swatch Nines event since the concept came to surfing three years ago. The surfers themselves are the real show, but the event really wouldn’t be able to match the creativity and progression of its freestyle skiing and snowboarding counterpart without adding skatepark-like features.
“It’s cool to see how far this event has come, and I’m hyped to see everyone,” Noah Beschen said last month. The features designed for the pool this year hadn’t been confirmed at the time. “There will be some wild features, but I’m most psyched to see what kind of airs people come up with.”
On Tuesday, Swatch Nines gave a first look at what the athletes cooked up and how they plan to put it to use. A crane will suspend the main feature over the wave once again but event organizers say “athletes pushed the concept much further” this year. Mason Ho’s credited with dreaming up a drop-in rail, where surfers will drop from the wall over the pool, onto a rail, and then transition into the wave itself.
“The athletes wanted to surf waves where they’re dropping on a rail, then they do a nice turn, then they do the next rail hanging on the crane, then they do another nice turn, and then they finish the wave with another rail,” said Nico Zacek. “In my mind, as a skier, it’s like full slopestyle lines. Basically, it’s a rail line in surfing with two to three rails in one wave.”
There will be three rails in total with the longest stretching eight meters. By having three rails, surfers will have the opportunity to put multiple features to use in a single wave.
The crane will also be a creative tool for photographers capturing all the action. A mirror will be placed in different positions, allowing them to document rides from multiple perspectives throughout the day.
Coco Ho and Zoe McDougall also helped develop a “Pool as Studio” concept, which will include floral arches suspended from the crane, flares, and other visual elements that turn the wave and the pool into “part of the creative production.”
Swatch Nines Surf & Skate takes place at Waco Surf on October 8–10, 2026. You can watch the event live on YouTube.
